Trapped Nerve from Hip to lower back 26 weeks and hurting any advise?

[BabyAcorn]

Doctor has said I have a trapped nerve from hip to lower back. Wont give me anything, yet Midwife told me I would get some muscle relaxant from him. Wont even give me physio app for it. So I now have made an appointment to have physio next week.

I have had this problem on and off now for about 2 months, has any one had the same feeling? When you start to move you feel like your about to collapse? Or it just stays there for the whole day getting progressively worse, great if your and dance and drama teacher!

Any thoughts Mummies!

[MsChanandlerBong]

Is it definitely a trapped nerve and not pelvic girdle pain/spd?

I went to the doctor quite early on in my pregnancy as I was in excrutiating pain, and he was really dismissive of me and told me to exercise through the pain... which was the worst possible advice!! Later on mentioned it to my midwife who recognised it as spd and referred me for physio at the maternity unit in the hospital, who helped me massively (gave me advice on posture, what exercise I could and couldn't do, etc) and they were helping other people with things like back straps and crutches.

Basically wanted to say that don't take what your doctor said as gospel. I struggled on for 3 weeks until I was basically immobile until the midwife recognised it . Also, working in the physical job that you do, you need immediate advice as to what you should and shouldn't be doing, otherwise you will make it worse.

I feel for you - it is awful to be in such pain

[KellyKettle]

What is the pain like? A shooting pain through your bum down your leg? If so that sounds like sciatica (nerve pinched by inflamed ligaments).

Yoga can help sciatica but nay aggravate SPD/PGP.

Both would be helped by seeing a physio. My midwife was able to refer me, can you ask her for a referral? They usually get pregnant women in fairly quickly in my area.

[BabyAcorn]

Thanks Mums, I have made another appointment with doctor this evening, as it's no better. Hubba gets sciatica in his shoulders and back and says what im saying sounds like his pain, just felt like the doctor was so rude, dismissive of what i was saying, little cry after did help!Hopefully doctor number 2 will be able to help with pain. Hot bath soothes it for a while so we shall see xx

[KellyKettle]

I get sciatica in every pregnancy and from very early on. I mentioned it to my GP and he said "not related to pregnancy, just take 2 paracetamol". I literally couldn't walk with the pain, I couldn't bear weight on my foot but he thought 2 paracetamol were fine.

I can sympathise with feeling crap after a GPs lack of understanding.

I ended up doing some physio through work which has been brilliant for me. I am sciatica-free now at 30 weeks.

Good luck!

[MsChanandlerBong]

As soon as my GP found out my pain wasn't bad enough that I hadn't lost control of my bowels he didn't take me seriously. Well excuse me for coming to the doctors before I get to the stage of pooing myself!!!

If you have no joy with the 2nd Doctor today, I would definitely get in touch with the Midwife ASAP as I think they are more experienced at dealing with these sorts of pains in pregnancy so are much less likely to fob you off. Good luck!

[Tangle]

I'd suggest giving Pelvic Partnership a call and asking them to recommend a physio in your area - I had sciatica type symptoms through pregnancy with DD2, which physio helped with but never resolved. They've come back with this pregnancy and, again, physio (different one) has helped but not resolved (and doing things like sitting on the floor would make it much worse again straight away). Then I saw a physio who specializes in pelvic/pregnancy problems and in one treatment she seems to have sorted it all out for me.

I'm a very happy bunny, but its also shown me how specific this type of problem is and how valuable it is to find a physio with the pertinent skills and experience. I suspect I was "lucky" in that I had a mis-aligned joint causing my problems that she was able to correct and so resolve things - but equally that was an issue that 3 physios over more than 2 years haven't done anything about...

I hope you can get some support and advice, as continual pain is miserable.

[BabyAcorn]

Just a catch up to let you know that after 2 weeks of non stop pain, I still am in non stop pain and even sleeping and now turned into a non sleep mode.

2nd Doctor has given me co-dydramol and another tablet -which im not taking as he scared me when he said it can make baby sleepy and just have a horrid feel of guilt if i take it to ease the pain and something happens. My midwife said that the tablets are safe just if i was sleepy baby may feel sleepy too, and i needed to drink a cold glass of water to wake baby up with a big nudge .

I went to the physio today, hoping for a result or something. She gave me a belt which did help my back feel more secure but my hips are so bad still. She didn't give me really any exercises to do, she just told me knees togethter and dont walk like that.

Should I try another person like an osteopath/chiropractor? Really need some help cause no one else seems to be! :(

[MsChanandlerBong]

A belt and strong pain killers... not exactly helpful imho!!!

My pain didn't disappear, but knowing about how the pelvis works, and various posture information really helped me stop the pain getting too bad (in fact I haven't had to use any painkillers at all after seeing the physio). They gave me a leaflet, but looking at it I think it is specific to my hospital.

Found this online which looks similar to my leaflet and has the same sort of information:
www.royalberkshire.nhs.uk/pdf/Pelvic%20Girdle%20Pain_guidance2.pdf

But if you are able to find a physio privately that knows about pregnancy/pelvic problems (as per Tangle's suggestion), then I think that would be your best bet.

I hope you get this resolved soon - you must feel miserable

[KellyKettle]

You could try a chiro who does free consultation. There is one near-ish to me who does a free assessment for pregnant women - including checking your birth plan (for whatever value that has).

Groupon seem to do lots of discounted chiro sessions too.

I would get a second opinion if I were you. I hope it eases, pelvic/ back pain in pregnancy is horrible.